Never Say Never
by ArianaLangdon
Summary: Amber thinks she'll never like anybody again after her harsh break up with her ex boyfriend Cody. Will one double date change that? Or will he have to do more than that?
1. Chapter 1

Never Say Never

A/N: This is kind of an on the side story. I don't know if it will be good or not…… but, oh well.

Disclaimer: I don't own PJO… plain and simple.

"Amber!" 18 year old Charlotte whined. "Please, please, please go with me. I don't even half know the guy! What if he, like, tries to make a move or something?"

Amber stared at her pointedly. "Well then, that would be your problem wouldn't it? Weren't you the one who begged him to go out with you? And if I DID decide to go, then it wouldn't be a real date."

Charlotte, now on her knees, sputtered, "W-well, you could go with one of the Hermes guys! Then, it could be a double date!" Charlotte finished, pleased by her plan. (A/N: hehe…that sounds funny)

Amber rolled her eyes and sighed. "Char, you know I don't date. Not since… Cody."

Charlotte's eyes blazed. "Amber! I swear to Zeus… and to your father, if you don't get over that snotty little Athena kid-no offence Athena- I will chain you to a restaurant table and make you go on a date! Or better yet, a movie theatre with the movie being New Moon."

The two girls had been so into their argument that they didn't notice Chase, Bailey, and Nathan walk up behind them. Chase walked in between them, raising his hands up. "Guys, what'cha arguing about now?"

Amber clenched her teeth. She didn't like getting anybody else involved in this particular issue. "Char wants me to-" Charlotte gasped, cutting off Amber. "Nathan! You could go with Amber and me on the date. I know you can fight. If Ian gets out of line, you could protect us!"

Amber stared at Charlotte with wide eyes. Charlotte obviously hadn't noticed the effect her comment had on her, because she was still dancing around having solved her problem.

Nathan backed away from Charlotte, shocked as well. "W-what?!"

Charlotte froze. She looked from Nathan to Amber, and back to Nathan. She wasn't expecting this reaction from either of them. "What do you mean "What?" I didn't think this was a problem, for either of you."

Nathan closed his eyes and breathed out deeply. "I don't really care. But I'm not going to beat whoever the guy is over some little thing you make so dramatic."

Amber's eyes visibly brightened. Charlotte noticed this and smirked. "So that's why you didn't-" Amber sharply turned her eyes to Charlotte, immediately dropping the happiness that was in them a few seconds ago. "Charlotte!" The real reason she cut Charlotte off wasn't because she didn't want her to finish, but that she hated being read like an open book.

Amber widened her eyes at the suddenness of her own outburst. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" She shook her head, trying to gather her thoughts. "I'll go. But, you owe me, BIG TIME!" Without looking at anybody else she fled down the hill, more confused than she had ever been.

Why did Nathan seem so shocked at Charlotte's plan? Did he not really want to go or was he just surprised? Why did Amber herself feel so nervous going with him? He was just a friend, right?

A/N: Yay! Fun! T.T., review this story. You know who you are.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The date... well, let's just say it was... interesting.

Nathan and I had been quiet all night but Char and Ian hit it off big time. The flirting was was a little, and by a little I mean a lot, over the top though. That, coupled with my nervousness, was enough to ensure that I had no appetite. I took one look at the plate of crimson ravioli in front of me and cringed away. I then glanced over our booth to see Ian "teaching" Charlotte how to play pool. My nervousness was momentarily forgotten as I tried to remember just how much money I had lost to Char's pool skills.

"That's a little cliche isn't it?" Nathan's low voice startled me.

I jumped slightly and my eyes met his. "I...I guess. But Char doesn't seem too upset."

Nathan's mouth quirked up in a half smile. "I guess. I wonder how upset Ian'll be when he loses a couple hundred to her." He said, mirroring my earlier thoughts.

I couldn't help but smirk at this. His eyes flickered down to my full plate. "Eat." It was a command, but not a harsh one.

My hands automatically went to the cool, silver fork and knife on the table. Once I started chewing, Nathan spoke again.

"Why'd you agree to this? This doesn't seem like your type of thing." I paused at his question. I thought about while I ate.

"Well, Char wanted to go, and I wanted to help her." I lifted my eyes up to search Nathan's. "This doesn't seem like your type of thing either." Nathan looked down.

"No, " He answered truthfully, "not usually something I would do, but your not giving a the real reason you're hear. I wanted to check out this Ian guy." I snorted.

"Yeah, right. You don't care about him. You made that clear yesterday. What answer would satisfy you then, if not that I wanted to be hear for Char?" Nate smirked.

"I do care. Charlotte's like my little sister and I want to watch out for her. Don't tell her that though, or she'll kill me. Plus, you're not all that bad to hang out with." I really couldn't keep the smile off my face after that. Nate's eyes dropped to my meal again. The knowing look he gave me made me involuntarily eat another peice of ravioli.

"Aww, that's sweet." I teased. "I won't tell her." I paused, not sure if I should say what else I was thinking. I said it anyway. "You're not so bad to hang out with either." I nudged his shoulder with mine. Nathan laughed quietly. The conversation didn't go any farther though, because Char skipped up to our table, with a wad of money in her hand. Ian came up behind her with a sulking look on his face.

"Dude," I laughed, "I could've warned you not toplay pool with her."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Char answered, "where's the fun in that?" Ian got over losing his money rather quickly. Stepping up next to Charlotte, he intertwined their fingers together. It was surprising, how tall he was. He had a few inches on Char, who was almost half a foot taller than me, so naturally he dwarfed me; so did Nathan. A light blush spread over Char's face.

"We were thinking about taking a walk in the park across the street. You two can go home if you want." Char spoke. Nate rolled his eyes.

"You drove Char. We have to wait." Charlotte made a face. "Fine, but don't go spying on us." Char wagged her finger at Nathan and I. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as well.

"As if we would want to watch your sickening, mushy PDA. " This time Char's blush was very noticeable.

"Right, as we wouldn't want to see yours, either." Ian stepped in. Char whipped her head sideways to stare at Ian in surprise.

"Brave." I muttered, trying to forget what Ian had just said. Char's grin could not be contained.

After paying for our meal, we walked outside and were imediately hit with a blast of cool air. The temperature had dropped a bit more than we expected.

"You better make this walk quick." Nathan mumbled to Char and Ian. He looked at me with an unreadable expression when I shivered.

A/N: Okay. So I really wasn't going to update this, but I found chapter two half-written on my computer from a long time ago, and I decided to finish it. Thanks to anyone who actually reviewed this story. (NOT associated with TopazThunder.)


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: So, I was asked if I was going to continue/finish this and I thought, why not?

Chapter 3

Nathan and I watched Charlotte and Ian walk across the street and to the park sidewalk. I smiled when Ian put his arms around Char's shoulders. They really liked each other. I was glad.

"What do you want to do?" Nathan asked behind me. I glanced around. To our right was a boardwalk.

"Let's walk down there." I nodded to the lit up walk way lined with small shops.

"Okay." Nathan agreed. I started towards the first shop without looking back. When Nathan spoke again, his shoulder was touching mine. "Were you nervous? About tonight, I mean."

I kept my eyes on the trinkets displayed in the windows. "A little." I answered honestly. "I...I didn't know who Ian was or what he was like. And you?"

Nathan walked ahead of me this time, to the next shop. I slowly moved towards him, wondering if I said something wrong. I never knew what to say around Nathan. It was like tiptoeing on a line, and I was growing tired of it. I hated the fact that I could say something wrong and then be ignored for weeks. Then suddenly, everything would be fine again like nothing happened.

"I was nervous too. Like I said, I want to protect Charlotte. I also...you make me nervous. I don't know why or how, but you do." Nathan's last statement came out in a rush.

I was so surprised at the confession that my eyes flew from the pretty purple and silver necklace in the window to Nathan.

"I make you nervous? How do _I _make _you _nervous? _You _make _me _nervous!" Nathan's eyebrows rose. "How so?" He whispered.

"I never know what to say around you! I can't read you like I can other people and it drives me crazy! I never know if whatever I say or do next is going to make you up and leave and I hate that. I just...I just don't know around you." I knew I was ranting but at that point I didn't really care. It needed to come out.

Nathan stared at me. He really didn't know about my inner turmoil. I guess he knew now. "Sorry." He said, a bit breathless. "I had no idea. I thought...I don't know what I thought."

I shook my head and turned back to the necklace. "I don't know what you thought either. I just wish I could be around you without feeling like I'm walking on ice." Speaking of ice, the temperature seemed to have lowered again. I shivered again, regretting wearing a short-sleeve shirt.

Nathan's hands ran up and down my bare arms. "You can, you know, talk to me." He whispered near my ear. I shivered again, but not from the cold. I turned around in Nathan's arms suddenly.

I...couldn't be hearing what I thought I was hearing. If it turned out to be a very vivid dream, I'd hurt myself. I raised my eyes to meet Nathan's. "I can?" I asked in a whisper.

"Mmhmm." Nathan hummed. He was closer than ever, with only a couple inches between us. I could close the distance easily. However, did I want to? Nathan was saying it was okay, but I still couldn't read him.

I reached up to touch Nathan's shoulders. I could hardly hear the noise of the busy street over the pounding of my heart. I was going to do it, For once in my life, I was going to take what I wanted; but then, of course, I rarely get what I want.

"Amber! Nate! Get your butts back here! It's freezing and we have to get back. _Of freaking course! _

"Charlie." I huffed. Nathan immediately stepped back, putting space between us...again.

"Come on, we better go." He gave me a half smile before taking my hand and pulling me towards Char and Ian who were waiting by Char's car.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It was two days later, on a Saturday evening, when I found a package on the front steps of my cabin. I picked up the small box covered in silvery-white wrapping paper and looked around for the person who left it. No one was around. It was deadly quiet.

I stepped back inside, looking at the box as if it were going to explode. Absentmindedly, I walked out the back of the cabin to the peaceful blue lake behind it. With the box gripped tightly in my hands, I couldn't help but think of Cody. In the lake water, I could see his face, telling me _she _was better; telling me _she _didn't hold back; telling me _she _loved him. When Kayla finally dumped him for an older man, I almost laughed. It still hurt that I had to see both their faces on a regular basis though.

Lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice that my hands gripped tighter around the box, effectively ripping the paper. I sighed and tore the paper the rest of the way off. A small, plain, black box stared back at me. It was a jewelry box. Why...why would someone be giving me jewelry? I shook the thoughts from my head and flung the top off the box.

I should have worried about littering as the top wheeled into the lake, and I should have heard the loud gasp that came from my mouth, but all I heard was the blood rushing fast in my veins. _Cody? What Cody?_

"Oh, my gods. Oh, my..." I trailed off. _THIS necklace!_

"That, right there. That's what I wanted to see." I jumped six inches off the ground and spun to face the voice behind me. He was leaning against the one of the columns of the house that made up the porch.

"Nathan." I spoke in a horse whisper. My eyes floated back to the silver and purple necklace nestled in the box. The necklace consisted of a small hollow circle covered in diamonds; at the top were two small wings, which also had diamonds on it. In the circle dangled a small, light-colored Amethyst.

"How much did this...no, you know what, I don't even want to know." Nathan smirked and slowly moved away from the blue column.

"Good, cause I didn't exactly pay for it." I shook my head and tried to put on a look of disapproval, but that stupid smile would not remove itself from my face. "You'll get in so much trouble if someone finds out."

"Well, let's hope no one finds out then." Nathan walked closer to me and plucked the box from my hands. I hadn't noticed they were shaking slightly. _Turn around, _his eyes told me. I did.

"How did you even know?" I asked as he brushed my hair to the side. His fingertips trailed across the back of my neck and left goosebumps in their wake.

"_Amber_, you wouldn't stop staring at it all night." Oh my gods, was that a _purr_? That was definitely not a purr! "The only time you weren't staring at it was when you were chewing me out." Nathan went on. "There was no way I wasn't buying it."

"You don't...you don't _do _this!" I gasped, a bit breathless. The cold metal touched my neck; I flinched back.

"I make exceptions." Nathan whispered in my ear. What was this? Where the hell had this come from? This was not the Nathan I was use to seeing and I don't know what freaked me out more; what Nathan had turned into, or the fact that I kind of _liked_ it? But, Nathan was acting like...he was acting like Cody; overconfident and...not Nathan.

"Done." Nathan whispered. He moved my hair back gently. I was slightly terrified of turning around, but I steeled myself and moved. My eyes searched Nathan, trying to find something, anything, that would explain Nathan's sudden attitude change. I couldn't find anything. He looked exactly the same.

"Nate, what..." I trailed off again, not knowing what to ask. My head was spinning. Years of tiptoeing around boundaries and subtle rejections did not explain this at all. I was so caught off guard. Nathan was acting like...he was acting like Cody; overconfident and...not Nathan.

"Amber." Nathan sighed and the smirk dropped off his face. He looked down and I could see his confusion through his body.

"I don't need _him_...another him. Don't." The tone of my voice was harsh, but I couldn't take it back.

"I know, sorry." Nathan wasn't looking up. Panic flashed through me. I realized what I sounded like. I stepped towards Nathan and caught his hand in mine.

"Thank you, Nate. The necklace, it's beautiful. I'm glad you bought it for me, but I don't need you to be Cody. I need you to be you; my best friend, mkay?" I knew I was saying too much, but I couldn't help it.

"I don't know how to be around you either." Was Nate's only reply. His fingers wrapped around mine though.

A horn sounded distantly. Was it dinner time already? I smiled slightly. "Come on, let's go to dinner so I can show off my shiny new present." I tugged Nathan's hand and led him to the front of the house.

Nathan stopped me as I went to open the front door. "What?" I asked curiously.

"Amber, I...you...you're welcome." He finally said. I knew there had to be more, but I wasn't going to push it. I smiled softly and drew my hand back from his, only to pull him into a hug. Nate's arms slid around my waist. I wasn't as if we've never hugged before, but somehow, this felt different. I closed my eyes and prayed that this wasn't a very vivid dream. So, maybe dinner could wait for a few more minutes.


	5. Chapter 5

(A/N at the bottom)

Chapter 4

The nock on my cabin door came after midnight. Actually, it was more like pounding.

_Why the hell? _

"Nathan? It's past midnight! Why are you…what's wrong?" The look on his face told me immediately that something was off. His eyes, they never looked like that unless…

"A quest?" Nate nodded, but didn't speak. "Fine. Wait five minutes." I shut the door quietly and fled to my room to get dressed. Jeans, a purple Camp Half-Blood T-shirt, and boots; I was special.

I opened the door to my cabin again to find that Nathan hadn't moved an inch. I walked past him, thinking he would follow; he didn't. Turning back to him, I looked, really looked. Nathan looked like he could use a few hours of sleep, and yeah that might because it's one-thirty in the morning, but he looked exhausted.

"Have you…been to sleep, at all tonight?" Nathan shook his head. He wasn't talking and he wasn't looking at me. Memories flashed by in my head. This was like every other time on of us had crossed the line. That was it. I walked the couple of feet to him and grabbed his shoulder.

"No," My voice was harsh in the quietness of the night. "We are not going to do this. I told you we weren't going to do this." Nathan bit his lip but didn't look up. I snorted.

"I can't…why? Why to everything, then, if you were just going to do this in the end?" I was breaking and I knew it. I was too tired for this, and we didn't have time. Nathan shook his head back and forth wildly. I grimaced and closed my eyes. Calling forth a bottle in my mind, I slammed my emotions down in there, and shut the lid tight.

*page**break**dance*

Inside the Big House were people I did expect to be there, and people I didn't. I sighed in relief when I saw Charlie and Ian conversing quietly in the front hall. As soon as I stepped into the house, Charlie pounced on me.

"Amber! We're going on a que-est! We're going on a que-est!" She sang, doing the one person conga line in a circle.

I gave Char a half smile and muttered, "Yeah, so I heard." I guess it wasn't exactly what she wanted 'cause she dropped the dance she was doing and squinted her eyes at me. The silence in the next few moments was almost deafening, until she rounded on someone behind me. Apparently Nathan had come in behind me and quietly shut the door.

"The hell did you _do_?" Charlie groaned out. I flinched and looked up at her in surprise. I seriously couldn't be that obvious. Oh wait, it doesn't matter if I'm obvious or not. Char's always just going to _know_. I shook my head and moved robotically into the room to the back of the long hall way with about eight doors on each side in the middle of the house. There was one door at the very end of the hallway. That room was used to plan quests.

"Don't worry 'bout it Char." It wasn't until I turned around to speak these words that I noticed someone else was also in the hall. No. No fucking way. This was not happening.

Cody had always been able to be deadly quiet when he wanted, and here's a fact about me: I hated it. He wasn't cute when he scared people, he was fraking creepy. He seemed dark, and not…quite human. Of course, most of the girls at camp thought this was "so hot and mysterious". I despised it, so of course Cody scared the shit out of me whenever he could.

"Why are you here?" I wanted to scream, or run, or punch him in the face, but I was just too tired. I sounded dead, even to myself. I seriously didn't want to see Nathan's reaction.

Cody smirked. Pushing himself off of the wall he was leaning on, he answered, "Same as you. I'm here for the quest." I shut my eyes tight. _No no no no no!_ I said nothing aloud though. I willed my hand move and turn the door knob. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nathan turn his back to Cody but I couldn't see his face. Walking in, I noticed the room was empty.

"Where's Chiron?" Charlie shrugged. "He told Cody to get us and meet him here. Apparently something dangerous just happened." "Yes, it has." Chiron answered from behind her. We all turned around to face a breathless and wheezing Chiron. The expression on his face was grim and he looked like he hadn't slept in days.

"What's going on?" I asked. Chiron clopped inside and shit the door behind him. He gestured for us to sit at the long, oval shaped table in the middle of the room. He handed me a scroll wordlessly, still catching his breath. There were no rhyming, mysteriously vague words there. Just a couple sentences were written on the page.

"Eros' powers have been stolen." I read aloud slowly. "Five shall find the one called Katrina and bring back what she has taken." I let the words sink in. "Wait, a demigod took a god's powers? How does that even happen?"

Chiron lowered is head. "It is said that she is human that acquired an old witch's powers. She is also a teenage girl." Charlie rolled her eyes and threw up her hands.

"Great, that's just great. A teenage girl got her hands on freaking Eros' powers? What could she _possibly_ want with those huh? Gods, she's probably making every guy in the world fall for her."

Chiron stared at Charlie. "As far as we know, she hasn't used the powers yet. You must find her before she does use them." I looked around the room and snorted, bringing everyone's eyes to me. "You want us, _us_, to go looking for the powers of love? Well that's unfortunate." There was a silence, and then Cody spoke.

"I'm leading this quest." His words were confident, spoken in a statement, not a question, as if he thought there would be no objections. "No." I practically growled. "Oh what, you wanna lead?" Cody was still smirking, like he thought I said something funny. "I don't want _you_ leading. We'd get killed in one day with your recklessness."

Cody uncrossed his arms and leaned on the table, toward me. "Yeah, and you're not reckless? If I remember correctly, that's one of the reasons you da-"

"Enough!" Chiron interrupted. "There is no time for this petty arguing. Charlie, you will lead this quest." Charlie's head snapped in Chiron's direction. "W-what? Seriously?" Chiron nodded. "I'm counting on you to keep them in line." He jerked his head in my and Cody's direction.

Charlie snorted. "Now _that's_ impossible." Chiron grimaced before turning around and opening the door. "Katrina was last seen in Kansas. You will start there. Get a couple hours rest and head out at six." Chiron called out as he walked down the hall.

Silence seemed to be our new favorite thing, because no one would talk. "Alright," Charlie sighed. "You heard what he said. Assemble at the gates at five-fifty. Oh yes! I so feel like the Avengers right now."

A/N: A wild plot appeared! I seriously didn't think it would happen, but it did. It's going to be a bit, well, really cliché, but I like it.

P.S. I don't really like this chapter. It was difficult to write.

P.P.S. I think this is the longest chapter I've ever written.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: PJO, kinda not mine.

Warning: I probably should have done this last time, but from here on out, expect some bad language.

Chapter 6

I was waiting by the entrance to Camp Half-Blood when I felt his presence. Whipping around, I turned to face Cody. He was only a couple inches away from me. Deep green eyes flared in the lighting darkness. I saw nothing in them but blank confidence.

"What are you doing?" My voice was immediately hostile. My body was rigid and I glanced back. Cody smirked as his eyes roved over my body. "Waiting…with you." I took a step back, wanting to pull my black duffle in front of myself.

"You, stay. Away. From. Me. We might be going on a quest together, but that is it. I told you that I wanted nothing else to do with you and I meant it." I hated that I couldn't be as strong as I wanted around Cody. He still broke through my defenses without even trying and he knew it.

Cody _tsked_ and glided forward. "Oh Ams. I know you don't really feel that way. I know you're hurt, but Kayla didn't mean anything, you know that." Cody's hand came up to run lightly across my jaw. I jerked my head back and swatted his hand away.

"_Stop _that you asshole! You seriously think that's going to work on me again?" Cody, however, looked like he just wouldn't give up. Not until another arm was thrown in front of me.

"Leave her the hell alone Samuels." Nathan's voice was dark and threatening, but not loud. Neither I nor Cody had seen him come up to us, which was surprising. I should've been grateful that Nate was there to help me and I should have thanked him; but I wasn't and I didn't. I jerked my head to the side a bit, my eyes never leaving Cody.

"I don't need your help Nathan. I can handle this on my own." I ground out. I was definitely not in the mood to break up the inevitable fight between Nate and Cody in a few minutes…maybe in seconds.

Nathan snorted and I supposed he rolled his eyes. "Yeah, you were doing _great_ when he decided to stop molesting you with his eyes and start with his hands." If I wasn't in the current situation, I would have laughed.

Cody straightened up to his full height and sneered. "Oh come _on_ Griffin! What have you got to fight for? Just because you wanna ba…" The argument around me faded. My hands, which were gripping Nathan's outstretched arm, tightened. My vision zoomed in, and all I could see was a red-stained Cody. Cody must have stopped talking because he and Nathan were both looking in the direction of the lake.

A noise that sounded like an oncoming freight train steadily grew closer. Nathan was the first to spot it, just over the tops of the trees.

"Holy _shit_." A wave, powerful and foaming, was growing from the lake. Nathan wrenched himself around to face me, but I wouldn't let go of his arm. "Amber! Amber, look at me. Calm down, please." Nathan spoke in hurried whispers. He pulled us to the ground so that we were on our knees. My gaze was still locked on Cody. His face was now slack with shock, and he was visibly trembling.

Nathan threw a panicked glance at the slow-growing wave, now about two feet over the trees. "Amber, please!" I could hear Nate perfectly, but I wasn't listening to him. I had no control over my powers and I was cracking.

I felt Nate's hand on my cheek, forcing me to look at him, and then I felt his lips on mine. The red in my vision drew back immediately. The shock coursed through my body, and I distantly noticed my hands dropping from Nathan's arm. The hand on my cheek dropped to the back of my neck.

The kiss wasn't near perfect, but it worked. It didn't fully register that Nathan was kissing me until he was pulling away. I fell from my knees to one side but Nathan caught me around the waist before I hit the ground. The deafening sound of rushing water stopped my thoughts from turning into verbal questions. Our eyes widened and we locked gazes again. However, the water didn't come for as we thought it would. It rushed right back into the lake.

Then, I pounced. Nathan's back hit the ground in surprise. "Why?" Tears were running down my face before I even registered they were there. They ran off my cheeks one second and hit Nathan's the next. He shook his head. "You weren't going to stop Amber! I had to do something! What the hell was that?"

I pushed off of Nathan and curled in on myself with my head between my knees.

Seconds later, Charlie and Ian burst out from the trees. "What the hell happened?" Charlie yelled. I didn't turn around, though I felt everyone staring at me.

Sucking in a deep breath, I formed a new box in my mind. This one looked stronger and bigger, and it was made out of celestial bronze. I watched as I shoved the physical forms of my emotions once again into a box and slammed the lip shut. The tears immediately stopped, and when my eyes finally opened to meet Charlie's, they were perfectly blank.

Then I saw Charlie's eyes fill with unshed tears. She knew what I was doing, and she didn't know if she could stop it a second time.

"Come on, let's get you up." She whispered. She put her arms around me and dragged me to my feet. We walked over to a rock and sat down slowly.

"Ian, take Nathan and go find Cody please. Make sure they don't kill each other. We'll be ready to leave when you get back." Charlie's voice was dangerously low, and she made sure not to look at Nathan. Gods, she was going to kill him. I had forgotten that Cody had run off like a scaredy-dick. Ha ha, scaredy-dick, I like that one. Oh Gods I need sleep.

Nathan picked himself off the ground before following Ian out, but not before trying to get my attention again. "Amber…"

I shook my head slowly. "Not now please." I forced myself to look up, into his eyes. Nathan sighed and turned away.

He was gone, and then Charlie started. "What the fuck Amber? No, okay? No! I refuse to watch you do this to yourself again, not after last time. And what the hell was that stunt you just pulled huh? I mean, I know Cody pisses you off, Cody pisses everyone off, but still!"

"Sorry Charlie." I smirked. Charlie grabbed at my wrists, ignoring my joke. "Amber, please, for the love of Zeus, do _not_ do this to yourself again."

"What are you talking about Char? I'm just fine. I have everything under control." The smile I gave her didn't seem to ease her worry. I glanced away and spotted the boys practically dragging Cody behind them.

"Look, the guys are here. Let's go." I hopped off the rock. Charlie watched me as I picked up my bag. My mood was calming every second I locked my emotions up. I knew it wasn't a good thing, considering last time, but the pain felt too oppressing. As the guys reached us with their stuff, Charlie and I walked to the entrance to Camp Half-Blood.

I looked back at Nathan, who wasn't looking at me. "You guys ready?"


	7. Chapter 7

The day long drive to Kansas was, to say the least, very awkward. The old Chevy we'd "borrowed" to take us there looked like it would break down at any given moment. I just prayed to the gods it would get us to Kansas before it did.

Charlie insisted that since she got to drive, she got to pick the music and the rest of us should shut our cake-holes about it. It was a good thing we had the same taste in music. Another good thing about Charlie driving? I got shotgun, which meant all three of the boys were squished awkwardly in the back. It wouldn't be so bad, if two of them didn't want to kill each other. Poor Ian was caught in the middle, figuratively and literally.

"El Dorado, KS!" Charlie shouted as we drove past the city limits. Charlie started humming the beginning song from the movie with the same name. I turned from aimlessly looking out the window to looking at Charlie with my eyebrows raised. "Really Char? El Dorado?"

Charlie rolled her eyes. "Shut up Ams! It's the best animated movie ever!" I snorted. Charlie really loved animated movies. It was sort of her guilty pleasure.

"Tulio really is the best." I turned to stare at Ian as he spoke. I glanced back to see a wide-eyed Charlie staring at Ian through the rear-view mirror. "And he talks!" Charlie mock gasped. She was right though. Ian had barely said a word the whole twenty-something hours we had been away from camp. Of course, neither had Nathan and Cody.

Charlie pulled into the Star Nine Motel. Coming in at 2 in the morning, we probably very suspicious, but we didn't care. We were exhausted. Getting into our rooms without falling asleep was a challenge, but we managed somehow.

The next morning we drove to the library to research the mysterious Bailey.

"Jeez! Do they have no morals?" Charlie hissed as she eyed a couple making out in the corner of the nearly empty library. "You're one to talk", I muttered, before turning to watch the–rather intense-scene in front of me. I glanced at the boys and saw Cody watching the couple, smirking.

"You're disgusting." I whispered to him. Cody jerked his head toward me. "What?" He asked innocently. I snorted. Glancing back at the couple, I saw one of the boys stand, slap his partner across the face, and then walk out. I winced at the surprising slap. "What the hell? Weren't they just about to go at it?" Charlie whispered to me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cody frown slightly before turning back to his research. _That's strange. Why would he care?_

Nathan slammed his records book shut loudly and sighed. All of us jumped. "We're no closer to finding anything than we were this morning and I'm starving. Let's take a lunch break and come back later." I glanced at the clock on one of the walls.

"Oh jeez! It's two! Yeah, let's get lunch." I said before shutting my own book. Charlie did a little victory dance before shuffling out the door. I walked out last but right before I shut the door, a sharp sensation ran down my spine. _Godly power, but where? _I turned and raked my eyes over the library. I couldn't figure out where it was coming from.

"Come on Ams! I need food, preferably pie!" I heard Charlie shout from the car. I shook my head. _Maybe it's nothing_ I thought as I exited the library.

_Of fucking course! I should have known! _

I tried to move my arms, but found them handcuffed to the bottom of the bathroom sink in our hotel room. "Fuck!" The bathroom was small enough for me to kick the door, but of course, it was locked.

Of course we weren't going to find any information on Bailey. She didn't exist! Cody's last words to me echoed in my brain and made me shudder.

"_Amber, you're too emotionless to think straight." He laughed. It was cold. "Isn't that just ironic? Don't worry; I'll make sure we get the powers back safe and sound." Cody turned around to walk out the door. "I will never love you, whether it's real or fake!" Cody snorted. He turned his and looked straight at me. "You think _you're_ the one I want? Don't make me laugh Ams." I could hear Cody laugh as he walked out of the bathroom, and then the hotel room. _

I didn't realize that I was crying until I tried to wipe the tears off my face and remembered that I couldn't. I tried to calm down, lock my emotions away, and think. If Cody wasn't going use Eros' powers on me, then who was he going to use them on? I was contemplating this when I noticed Charlie's cosmetic bag peeking out from the cabinet next to the sink.

"Thank the gods!" I yelled. Using my feet, I maneuvered the bag from the cabinet to my lap. Using my teeth, I unzipped the bag and nosed around until—"Aha, tweezers! Thank you Charlie, for being a girl on the inside!"

I slipped the tweezers from my mouth to my hands, and in a time that would make Charlie proud, I broke open the handcuffs. I dropped the tweezers and rubbed my sore wrists before kicking down the door.

I didn't even have to think of where to go. I knew I had felt some sort of presence in the library earlier. There must be a hidden room in there or something. Thank gods the library was in walking distance, because using the car was obviously out of the question.

Charlie fidgeted as the group walked down the stairwell of the library. "Are you sure we should have locked Amber up like that?" Cody shook his head.

"Of course it was Charlie. You don't know how much I wish we didn't have to, but I told you, it was like she didn't have a soul or something. She was seriously freaking me out. What if one of us gets hurt and she won't do anything because she can't feel anything? Or what if she gets seriously injured but she pushes herself too much because she can't feel the pain? It's just too dangerous. She'll be okay. I left her in the room watching tv. She didn't even seem to care." Cody smiled reassuringly at Charlie. She looked suspicious but didn't say anything.

Nathan rolled his eyes and scoffed. "It's so coincidental isn't it? That you happened to be the only one there when she "flipped out" and went emotionless." Nathan glared at the back of Cody's head.

Cody chuckled. "Shut up Griffin. You're just jealous you weren't there to protect your little princess." Nathan was about to retort but Cody stopped just short of the library and held up a finger. "Do you guys feel that?" Ian shook his head. "I don't feel a damn thing."

"Whatever. I feel something coming from the library. Come on." Cody waved Charlie, Ian, and Nathan into the library.

"There's nothing here!" Charlie yelled, coming from the back where she had been searching. "I got nothing." Nathan spoke with Ian nodding in agreement.

"Well, maybe you guys aren't observant, but I am. That couple that was in here earlier, I knew they were up to something fishy." Cody dragged there chair they had been making out on away from the wall. Sure enough, under the chair was what looked like a small trap door.

Charlie's eyes widened. "Whoa cool! A trap door!" Ian walked up next to Charlie. "Not so cool if there's some evil shit down there." Charlie rolled her eyes and bumped Ian's shoulder. "Whatever."

Even though the door looked quite heavy, Cody opened it with ease. He looked up and smirked. "Y'all ready?" Charlie strolled up to the door and then proceeded down the latter. When she a few steps down she looked up at Cody. "Of course."

"Well, after you then." Cody muttered sarcastically. He waited till Nathan and Ian had gone down before going down himself. Nobody saw Cody lock the door up tight, or the evil grin on his face as he did it.

Amber and Nathan fucked and then Nathan died. The end.

AN: Kidding. That's not the end. That, is called being so done with a story, you can't even think straight. This story has become so incredibly difficult to continue but I promised that I would finish it and I will, even if no one is reading it. (Although it already seems that way cause I only really have one reviewer.) Anyway, so sorry if this chapter is really choppy and difficult to follow. As I said, I just really could not make myself write.


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